Need Help w/ Harman Exception Disassembly

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  • Hope everyone has a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving!
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here

T-bone

New Member
Jan 2, 2020
9
Maryland
Good day, and Happy New Year!
I need help with a Harman exception.
We bought our house 6 years ago and the insert was in the house. The chimney inspection revealed that it was venting directly into a clay chimney. We had the chimney lined and a vent pipe attached to the unit.
The glass was replaced in the afterburner with a piece of steel.
The unit has worked quite well until this season It is not getting as hot as it should. I can build a good fire and coal bed. I belive that the afterburner is working to some degree because of the flames that I can see in the fire box. I am not hearing a "woosh" like I usually do when the damper is first closed.
I called a Harman dealer who said that it sounded like it just needed to be cleaned.
I am up for doing that myself but I can't find a technical manual for this unit anywhere.
From what I have read on this forum there are 2 bolts that hold on the afterburner cover to the ramp and 2 additional bolts that hold in the actual afterburner. Before I just jumped in I wanted to get some advise first.
Can I just remove the afterburner cover and afterburner and vac out inside? Should I blow off the afterburner with compressed air?
What would I look for that the afterburner is still usable vs. needing to be replaced ?

Any advise, specs etc would be greatly appreciated.
It is getting cold and I need to get this working asap!
Thanks in advance for your help!
 
No ours is not free standing on legs.
I believe ours is a f200.
It sits on the hearth back inside the fireplace opening.
From what I have read I think that both types of Harman Exceptions use the same afterburner.
The users manual that I have found has no details on maintenance or tech data.
Thanks
 
Thanks
I found those videos yesterday.
The only advise in the 'maintenance' section is on testing the seal on the gaskets.
I would love to find a diagram of the retaining bolt sizes and placement.
I am also wondering if there is anything else that I should try before going through the hassle of pulling the afterburner.
I have already checked the door gasket :)
 
Thanks
I found those videos yesterday.
The only advise in the 'maintenance' section is on testing the seal on the gaskets.
I would love to find a diagram of the retaining bolt sizes and placement.
I am also wondering if there is anything else that I should try before going through the hassle of pulling the afterburner.
I have already checked the door gasket :)
Pull it apart. I would have to see it to tell you exactly how but pretty much take out the bricks then pull any visible bolts other than the ones on the damper. Remove those parts and repeat untill there is nothing more to remove. And then get order lots of new parts.
 
Thanks ...I guess I will just get into it and see what I see.
I am a pretty handy dude so I think I can figure it out.
I might set the camera on a tripod so I can film this for the next guy who needs the info!
We had a fire on Wed. 1/1/20 so I am going to wait until Sunday 1/5/20 to pull it apart so that there is plenty of time for ashes to cool before I have to shop vac in there.

So .,,, how can I tell if the afterburner is still usable ? Obviously if it is cracked, crumbled etc. it needs to be replaced , but are there any other factors to tell if it is/isn't still usable ?

Thanks
 
Thanks ...I guess I will just get into it and see what I see.
I am a pretty handy dude so I think I can figure it out.
I might set the camera on a tripod so I can film this for the next guy who needs the info!
We had a fire on Wed. 1/1/20 so I am going to wait until Sunday 1/5/20 to pull it apart so that there is plenty of time for ashes to cool before I have to shop vac in there.

So .,,, how can I tell if the afterburner is still usable ? Obviously if it is cracked, crumbled etc. it needs to be replaced , but are there any other factors to tell if it is/isn't still usable ?

Thanks
Take pictures, lots of them including closeups as you disassemble, so that you have a guide for reassembly.
 
So I removed the hood today and it is obvious that the afterburner needs to be replaced. I have attached a picture.
I can't figure out how to remove the afterburner and replace it. Do I have to remove the ramp? I don't see any exposed bolts.
Thanks again for the help folks!
 

Attachments

  • [Hearth.com] Need Help w/ Harman Exception Disassembly
    20200105_123153.webp
    112.4 KB · Views: 184
Take all the bricks out then take the bolts out then take that out
 
Looks a bit different than the Harman stoves, but on the stoves the damper weldment has to come out, too. If that's the case with the insert, cut two 2x4's to hold the damper weldment both on the way out and during reassembly. The weldment and damper door are heavy, and if it's like the tl200, there's the chance of it falling on the afterburner during reassembly. Not a fine piece of engineering.
 
OK, I figured it out...
I had to remove the ramp, the 2 rear bricks and the 2 rear side panels. The only thing holding the afterburner in place now is the damper cover. I am waiting until the new afterburner arrives before I take that off.
I ordered a new afterburner and enough gasket to replace the gasket on the ramp, rear panels and the damper cover.

So now my question is this ;
Do I need to do something to season the new afterburner before everyday uasage?

Thanks
 
No, just install without damaging. Do vacuum thoroughly the cavity where the afterburner sits.